Tag: random house

Will, by Maria Boyd

Each boy was programmed to recognise Waddlehead’s walk from twenty metres away. Each boy also knew what it meant.
It became deadly quiet.
The boys parted, creating a guard of honour delivering me to my fate. No way round it.
Busted. Busted bad.
Walk with me immediately, Mr Armstrong.

Will probably should have stopped and thought before he mooned the girls’ school bus which had broken down at the front of his own school. But he didn’t stop or think, and now he’s in big trouble. This is the latest in a line of silly things which Will has done, and he’s in big trouble. The adults all reckon it’s because of what happened six months ago, but Will doesn’t know what they’re on about – nor does he want to know.

As a strange form of his punishment, Will is made to join the school band, performing in the school musical. This is the worst punishment Will could ever have imagined. Being in the play is something only nerds will consider – and Will is no nerd. But he seems to have attracted a new best friend who is – a year 7 trombone-playing geek, who thinks Will is the best thing since sliced bread. Then there are the two leads in the musical – one is the most beautiful girl Will has ever seen, the other is a rugby-playing jock who is new to the school and doesn’t seem to know or care that singing and dancing are not cool. Will is not going to get sucked into this whole new world – nor is he going to face the events of six months ago.

Will is a funny yet touching tale of fitting in, falling in love and coping with grief. Will is a likeable main character whose first person voice draws the reader in. We want to know just what has happened to his father, who seems to be the key factor in whatever happened six months ago, and, above all, we want to see things work out for Will, who seems to keep making mistakes even as he works to resolve them.

This is a light novel which deals with serious subjects in a way which is both real and compelling, without being maudlin or unrealistic.

Will, by Maria Boyd
Random House, 2006

Brumby Plains, by Joanne Van Os

Maybe it was because they were all so preoccupied with the awful news from town. They trudged along with their heads down, not concentrating, and that was why they almost blundered straight into the two men beside the spring. Sam, his ears still keen even when his mind was somewhere else, heard strange voices and stopped the others just in time.

Living on a buffalo station in the Northern Territory is never boring for Sam and George McAllister. There are horses to ride, animals to watch and plenty of interesting places to explore. But life is about to get just a little bit too exciting for the boys, and their cousins Tess and Darcy.

There are strange things happening on the station. Birds seem to be disappearing from their favourite nesting places, and there are tyre tracks around the place that don’t belong to the station vehicles. When out camping, Sam sees a plane landing somewhere nearby in the middle of the night. Then there’s the strange man the children meet in Darwin who seems to know more about their station than he should. Uncovering the truth could put the children’s lives at risk.

Brumby Plains is an exciting adventure set in the Northern Territory. With plenty of action and a touch of mystery from the past, this will intrigue young readers and keep them guessing till the end.

Brumby Plains, by Joanne Van Os
Random House, 2006

The Story of Tom Brennan, by JC Burke

Reviewed by Delwyne Stephens

This book for 13+ teens is so real it hurts. Week after week the news screams of stories about road trauma and the very many hapless, often speeding and drunk young male drivers. The Story of Tom Brennanis about the fall-out victims of such car accidents. The brother (Tom), the sister, the uncle, the mum and dad and the grandmother who in this story takes them all in. The criminal – the reckless and risk taking son, best mate and footy partner Daniel – goes to jail.

This book made me uncomfortable and it made me cry. It was almost too real for me – the deeply depressed mother particularly angered me and I wanted to shake her out of her malaise. I didn’t feel at ease until Tom began to get constructive about his grief and inch by inch he moved away from his pain and began to gain a renewed sense of self. There is no winner in a story that tackles the death of close friends and the quadriplegia of a cousin. But Burke handles the subject matter with sensitivity. Her background as a nurse is evident in the book. She has seen suffering and she has seen moving on and this is one of strengths of this story. I can’t say I enjoyed The Story of Tom Brennan, but it is compelling reading.

The Story of Tom Brennan, by JC Burke
Random House, 2006

You can visit the site of Delwyne Stephens at: www.delwynestephens.blogspot.com

The Words Inside, by Emmah Money

Reviewed by Dale Harcombe

This is the biography of Emmah Money. Adopted soon after her birth because of her Cystic Fibrosis, a life threatening illness, Emmah Money used her illness and her dreams to write the words that led to her being chosen 2005 Girlfriend of the Year by Girlfriend Magazine. This is the story of a girl who in her young life has had to overcome more than most people would. It is a testament not only to her character but to that of the adoptive family, who raised her and taught by example the importance of overcoming difficulties.

Emmah’s story is told in a very easy to read style. She does not flinch from dealing with some of the specific issues she faced with her illness and the results of so much hospitalisation. The book also gives a picture of her growing up and the hassles and bullying she received from her peer group at school. She does not shy away from the truth and includes her excursion into depression and alcohol to alleviate that depression.

But in the end it is a story about a girl who was brought up to believe she could do anything and who set out to prove the truth of that statement. She has gone on to do her part in seeking to raise the awareness of Cystic Fibrosis and to raise money to try and find a cure to this illness as well as work as a model.

For anyone suffering from this illness or any other debilitating disease this book would provide hope and encouragement. For those fortunate enough not to have to combat the problems Emmah has had to deal with, it will show that, with determination and courage, it is possible for a teenager to overcome and realize her dream.

The Words Inside , by Emmah Money
Random House Australia , 2006
$27.95 ISBN 1 74166 212 5

The Quest for the Sun Gem, by Belinda Murrell

Reviewed by Jess Whiting

Ethan froze in the tree, his heart pounding, his mouth sticky and dry. His stomach heaved with anxiety as he tried to grasp the reality of the terrifying attack below him. The small group of Tiregians, in their brightly coloured ceremonial clothes, were completely surrounded by a surging sea of black armour. They had no hope of fighting back.

Ethan and Lily are a brother and sister who, after their village is attacked and their families and friends captured, will go to extreme lengths to rescue them from the Sedah invaders and reclaim their land.

The Quest for the Sun Gem is a novel filled with excitement as you join Ethan, Lily, Saxon and Princess Roana on a daring quest to find the Sun Gem and restore peace to their world.

This novel for ages ten and up is filled with suspense and will keep the reader guessing. It is filled with action and never has a dull moment as it allows you to enter a magical world filled with strange creatures and fun characters.

A great adventure

The Quest for the Sun Gem, by Belinda Murrell
Random House Australia 2006

Aliki Says, by Irini Savvides

A was the first letter in the alphabet. And Aliki was always first.
At least she remembers something, Liza decided, even if it is about Aliki. Walking to the photo on the mantelpiece, she couldn’t help but smile. The two of them, six years of age, arms around Yiayia’s ample waist. Where had that woman gone?

It is the summer holidays, but instead of spending them with her cousin and best friend Aliki on the beach, Liza is on the way to Greece. She and her mother are collecting her grandmother, Yiayia, to bring her home to Australia to live. But Yiayia has changed – she isn’t at all like Liza remembers. Worse still Yiayia doesn’t seem to remember Liza. But Yiayia does remember her terrible secret, a secret which has eaten away at her and at the rest of the family, for years. Bringing her home to Australia will force the whole family to confront the past.

Back in Australia, Liza and Aliki find it increasingly difficult to maintain their friendship. Liza is jealous that Yiayia remembers Aliki but not her. Everyone seems to like outgoing, cheeky Aliki, more than quiet Liza. And Aliki is jealous of Liza, who she thinks is keeping Yiayia to herself. It is a difficult summer for both girls as they confront the past and figure out their futures.

Aliki Says is a moving tale of family, memories and forgetting. Author Savvides brings past and present, Australia and Greece together in a beautifully woven story which holds much to ponder not just for teen readers but also for adults. Issues of family loyalty, of cross-cultural marriages, of friendship and of the challenges of aging are explored in a poignant, skilful rendering which is not heavy to read, but certainly deals with weighty issues.

Beautiful.

Aliki Says, by Irini Savvides
Random House, 2006

Ads R Us, by Claire Carmichael

ADS-4-LIFE COUNCIL…IMPROVING YOUR WORLD EVERY DAY
The name was familiar to me. My uncle had spent many hours warning me about the role of advertising in the Chattering World. He’d been particularly scathing about the influential lobbying organisation his sister headed, the Ads-4-Life Council.

Orphaned as a baby, Barrett Trent has spent all his life in an eco-cult called Simplicity, protected from the modern world. But now his uncle is dead, and an aunt he has never met has decided he must come and live with her and her family. Barrett’s spoilt cousin Taylor isn’t too keen on having him sharing their home. She is one of the in-group, and Barrett’s lack of sophistication could affect her standing.

Aunt Kara is more welcoming. She is the head of the Ads-4-Life council, and she finds Barrett’s background – or rather the chance his background gives her to study the impact of advertising on someone who has never been exposed to it before – fascinating. For Barrett, who is initially unaware that he is being used as a guinea pig, the experience could have dire consequences. Taylor, too, could find herself in trouble as events spiral out of both teenagers’ control.

Ads R Us is a frighteningly plausible futuristic novel, set in a not-too-distant future where advertisements aren’t just everywhere – they are actually in control of most aspects of life. Schools are sponsored by corporations who may not always have children’s best needs at heart, and individual lessons are sponsored by products teachers are expected to endorse. Children have microchips implanted which record not just their movements but also their shopping preferences, banking details and more.

This is an exciting read, but it will also have readers squirming as they see both the parallels with the consumerism-driven society we already live in, and the foreshadowing of how this could develop.

Teens will find this a fascinating story and it would also have excellent classroom application, with plenty of room for discussion of advertising, peer-pressure, privacy and more.

Ads R Us, by Claire Carmichael
Random House, 2006

Sandra Collage and the Fossil Fuel Fiasco, by Tim Levy

Sandra grabbed the handset and started to dial her mother’s office number. She was so focussed on the call that she didn’t notice someone else was in the room until Number Two’s huge hand had covered her mouth and nose completely. His hand was cupping a piece of fabric doused in a special knockout formula.

When Sandra wakes up from a strange dream, she’s excited. Today is her birthday and she’s going on a birthday picnic with her mum. But when she tells her mother about her dream, Mum thinks the dream might hold the key to the scientific formula she’s been working on, and dashes off to work to try it out.

Sandra is upset, and goes off on the picnic by herself. When she dozes off in the sun, she dreams her mother is being kidnapped, and rushes home to phone her. Instead, it is Sandra who is kidnapped and she and her mum have to battle the man who wants to destroy the secret formula.

 

Part of the Travel Kids series, Sandra Collage is an exciting and humorous story, which includes plenty of extras. In between chapters there are games and travel tips designed to keep kids entertained while travelling, including a guide to reading in the car and not throwing up.

Suitable for ages 8-12.

Sandra Collage and the Fossil Fuel Fiasco, by Tim Levy
Random House, 2005

Orson McNeal, 100% Pure, by Tim Levy

Orson stopped. With his blindfold on, his nose and ears were incredibly sensitive. He could hear Fi screaming clearly. He was only part-way though his search, still in the front-left quadrant of the field. He wasn’t far from Fi and he knew he could help her – but this was a test, right?

The town of Welling is poised on the brink of trouble. The supply of orange juice is drying up and without a new gusher, mining operations may have to cease. What the town needs is a new OJ Sniffer to locate a new supply. Orson McNeal wants desperately to be that Sniffer. But there can only be one Sniffer, and Orson must compete with the rest of the town’s children, including his best friend Fi, to get the Sniffer’s badge.

Orson McNeal, 100% Pure is a humorous tale of friendship and adventure. Orson and Fi battle to save their town by locating a new OJ source, but in the process find themselves lost underground. What they find there could be the town’s saviour – or the final straw in closing operations.

Part of the Travel Kids series, Orson McNeal also includes loads of extras. In between chapters there are games and travel tips designed to keep kids entertained while travelling, including a guide to reading in the car and not throwing up.

Suitable for ages 8-12.

Orson McNeal, 100% Pure, by Tim Levy
Random House, 2005

Squeak – The Boy With No Voice, by Tim Levy

This is getting a little weird, thought Squeak. Taking his mother’s hand carefully off the handle, he touched it once with his own finger. The door swung open.
A little man in a green coat burst out of the door. He was one of the strangest-looking people Squeak had ever seen. There were bits of plants, leaves and branches in his hair, on his coat and spilling out of his pockets.

Squeak Evans would be a normal kid – if only he could talk. He has never been able to use his voice and his parents have taken him to see every kind of doctor they can think of. Squeak has almost given up, until they take him to see Doctor Von Schprecken, the world’s only Sniffular-bio-herbologist. The Doctor’s treatment is unorthodox – to say the least – but it might just work. It could even help Squeak audition for the Junior Rock Eisteddfod .

Squeak – The Boy With No Voice is the second title on the Travel Kids series from author/storyteller/comedian Tim Levy. As well as a fun story, the book also has plenty of extras, including a guide to overcome travel sickness, games to play while travelling, and even a page to spill food scraps on.

This fun series is sure to appeal to kids and with the summer holidays fast approaching would make a good Christmas present ready for those long drives and plane trips.

Squeak – The Boy With No Voice, by Tim Levy
Random House, 2005